KKR vs MI: Rahane Highlights Manish Pandey’s Team First Attitude Afte…

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) captain Ajinkya Rahane was extremely pleased with Manish Pandey’s match-winning knock against the Mumbai Indians (MI) in what was a must-win game for the three-time champions at their home ground, Eden Gardens, Kolkata. freshyourfeel.com

Playing his first innings for KKR this season, Pandey got the opportunity to bat at number three, a position he used to occupy when he was a regular for the franchise in the last decade. Angkrish Raghuvanshi’s injury helped Manish earn a promotion up the batting order. The veteran batter made the most of the opportunity as he top-scored in a low-scoring contest.

More than his innings, Rahane was vocal about Pandey’s work ethic and attitude even when he was not getting opportunities to play.

“Really happy for Manish Pandey. I mean, his work ethic and his attitude when he was not playing were fantastic,” Rahane said after the match against MI in Kolkata. “It’s really tough as a player when you’re not playing games and still turning up day in, day out, continuing to work hard on your batting and fielding. That attitude and team-first mindset are what really matter. And tonight’s knock, I’m really happy for Manish Pandey. In fact, every team member is really happy for him.”

Over the last few games since his comeback, Pandey had not been getting many opportunities to bat as he was slotted into the middle order, while KKR’s top four were doing most of the heavy lifting. However, when he finally got his chance, he made it count. On a tricky surface, Pandey anchored the innings with 45 runs and guided his team to the brink of victory.

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Kolkata Knight Riders’ four-wicket win over Mumbai Indians at Eden Gardens has not only kept their playoff hopes alive but also pushed IPL 2026 into record territory for successful run chases in the history of the competition. Teams batting second have now registered 42 victories across 65 matches so far, setting a new benchmark for a single IPL edition. That figure surpasses the previous high of 41 set in IPL 2016. Historically, only two other seasons have crossed the 40-win mark for teams batting second. The list features IPL 2011 with 40 and IPL 2016 with 41.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni has reportedly returned to Ranchi on the day of Chennai Super Kings` final league match against Gujarat Titans. According to a report by ESPNcricinfo, the legendary former skipper has already reached his hometown and will only return to the squad if CSK manages to defy the mathematical odds and qualify for the playoffs.

This decision aligns with Dhoni`s pattern this season, as he has consistently avoided travelling for away fixtures. His only exception was a solitary road trip to Lucknow earlier this month.

CSK batting coach Mike Hussey shed light on Dhoni`s absence from the crucial Ahmedabad clash, revealing that the veteran has sustained a fresh, painful thumb injury.

This explanation clarifies why Dhoni was seen with heavy taping on his thumb during CSK`s recent home game against Sunrisers Hyderabad, notably the only match this entire IPL 2026 season where he actively stepped out onto the field at Chepauk.

For the CSK fans, Dhoni’s departure marks a practical end to a season where he unfortunately could not contribute on the pitch. Sidelined initially by a calf injury sustained right before the tournament opener, and now hampered by the thumb issue, Dhoni has not played a single match in IPL 2026.

While he remained a supportive figure in the dugout during home games, he spent those matches in training apparel rather than the matchday yellow jersey. The emotional narrative surrounding his potential retirement reached a peak earlier this week at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium.

Following CSK`s five-wicket loss to Sunrisers Hyderabad, the team completed their traditional lap of appreciation to thank the local fans. Despite his injuries, Dhoni joined his teammates on the field to wave to the crowd, creating an atmosphere that felt very much like a silent farewell.

Chennai Super Kings have struggled this season in the IPL

CSK have had a poor IPL season, which looks set to end in disappointment. The 5-time champions are set to miss out on the playoff spots again after a poor start to the tournament.

CSK travel to GT for the last game of their season, hoping for a win and other results to go their way.

Just a couple of years ago Mumbai off-spinner Tanush Kotian was picked as R Ashwin’s replacement in India’s Test squad for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy Down Under. Kotian, 27, however, did not get a chance to make his Test debut. On Tuesday, Kotian missed the bus once again when the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee did not pick him in the squad for the lone Test against Afghanistan, beginning at New Chandigarh on June 6.

Mumbai’s chief selector Sanjay Patil insists that Kotian should take this snub positively and enhance his performance. “The national selectors have gone with two left-arm spinners [Manav Suthar and Harsh Dubey] and it’s understandable. But Tanush should take this snub as a motivation to perform better. He needs to come up with some big performances in domestic cricket to be in contention for that India Test berth,” Patil told mid-day on Wednesday.

Sanjay Patil and Nilesh Kulkarni

In the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy season, Kotian had 23 scalps from six matches, but could only manage nine wickets from three games last season. “Being an off-spinner, Tanush needs to take lots of wickets, but in the last two years, he hasn’t performed as per expectations. If he wants to represent India in Tests, he needs to be more consistent,” added Patil.

Kotian has taken 131 wickets in 44 first-class games and scored 2168 runs so far.

Former India left-arm spinner Nilesh Kulkarni echoed similar feelings and advised Kotian to aim for more fifers. “Tanush needs to keep performing because at the end of the day, everyone looks at how many five-wicket hauls you have or centuries you’ve scored. If he helps his team to victories by taking wickets, he can still have a chance [to play Tests],” Kulkarni told mid-day.

“I feel there is still enough scope for Tanush because [offie] Washington Sundar has not necessarily made it to the Test team by claiming fifers, but his performance has been consistent. So, Tanush needs to step up and get noticed,” Kulkarni added.

131
No. of wickets picked by Tanush Kotian in 44 first-class games, scoring 2168 runs

Chennai Super Kings are barely alive in the ongoing IPL, but according to Michael Hussey, their batting coach, the five-time champions are still hoping to have MS Dhoni back for the Playoffs, if they get through Thursday’s clash against Gujarat Titans.

“I can confirm he [Dhoni] is not here with the team, but, if we do happen to qualify [for the Playoffs], he’ll definitely join back up with the team. He’s got a bit of a sore thumb. It’s recovering nicely, but he won’t be ready for this match,” Hussey told reporters at a pre-match press conference here on Wednesday.

Even if CSK, who are on 12 points after 13 games, beat hosts GT on Thursday, they could still end up in a net run-rate battle with Rajasthan Royals, Delhi Capitals, or Kolkata Knight Riders. There are too many ifs and buts for CSK, who are chasing a sixth IPL title this season.

Reflecting on CSK’s defeat to Sunrisers Hyderabad in their last home game, Hussey said: “It was disappointing, especially in front of our home fans. In our final home game, we wanted to finish with a win. Obviously, it has made it more difficult for us to get into the top four.”

Home team GT, who have made it to the Playoffs after securing 16 points in 13 games, too, will be desperate for a big win to inch closer to a top-two finish, which ensures a second shot at the title battle if you lose Qualifier 1. Talking to the media, Sai Sudharsan stressed that the team’s focus is to keep winning. “The important thing is to play good cricket and win tomorrow [Thursday]. We are not in a position to think about winning by a very big margin.

It’s about doing the right things that we have been doing and first getting a victory. If we are in that position, yes, like every team, we would love to close it as smoothly as possible or give ourselves the best opportunity to be in the top two,” said Sudharsan, GT’s highest run-scorer (554).

120.68
Ruturaj Gaikwad’s strike-rate in the ongoing IPL — his lowest ever

Four
No. of matches CSK have won against GT in their last six meetings